If you purchased Windows 10 or 11 from a retail store or on a new device as opposed to upgrading from a previous version, then you have a product key and would need that to reactivate the OS.

This article explains a few different ways for how to find a Windows 10 product key. Along with using applications on your computer, we’ve listed additional places you can check to locate the key.

Microsoft says Windows 10 product keys will still be able to activate Windows 11, as long as you're using Windows 11 on an eligible PC that officially supports the newer OS.

First, you can purchase a new product key for Windows 11 or 10. This will allow you to activate your installation and receive security updates and technical support from Microsoft.

At least for now, though, it seems like this change will only apply to future Windows versions. We were able to activate a fresh Windows 11 Pro 22H2 install with a Windows 8 Pro product key as of ...

Microsoft originally announced the changes to block Windows 7 and Windows 8 keys from Windows 11 late last month, but at the time, we saw that keys were still activating, and it wasn’t clear ...

A more advanced program called Recover Keys offers additional options for $29.99, but Jelly Bean Keyfinder should suffice if you just need the product keys for Windows and Office 2010.